The present invention relates to systems for carrying food and/or drink from one position to another and, more particularly, to a food carrying system for conveying cooked food from a cuisine, kitchen or preparation area (hereinafter referred to simply as a kitchen) to selected tables in a restaurant by means of a food carrying vehicle drawn by a model locomotive travelling on a track laid out between the kitchen and the tables.
A food carrying system of the type described has already been proposed by us as disclosed in the Specification of unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-39940 (1976) and in practical use for the purpose of saving labor necessary and for speeding up conveyance of food and drink in restaurants. In this prior system, a vehicle for carrying slips or orders runs on a track laid out from a cashier's counter to a kitchen while a vehicle loaded with food travels on another track extending between the kitchen and in front of a series of tables. A diner will thus take food out of the food carrier from one side thereof when the food carrier reaches a position in front of the diner's table. A drawback is encountered in this type of system, however, in that it is unsuited for coping with a large number of diners since the number of tables which a single food carrier can handle is limited. A food carrier used for the purpose described above should preferably be provided with a shutter or a flap to cover an opening, which is formed through one side wall of the vehicle body, with a view to avoiding deposition of dust and other alien substances on dishes during travel of the food carrier. Here arises another drawback in that, since the prior art food carrier has a shutter or a flap on only one of its laterally opposite sides, tables must be arranged on one side of the track for access to the shutter or flap, resulting in a limitation on the number of installable tables.
An object of the present invention is to provide a food carrying system which conveys food to a number of tables efficiently and with the simplest installation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a food carrying vehicle which, when a flap of the vehicle is opened, permits a tray member to slide toward the flap for facilitating easy removal of food from the tray member.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a food carrying vehicle in which, when one of two flaps is opened, means for interlocking the other flap with a tray member does not interfere with the opening action of said one flap.